•He bemoans the fact that many of his peers overindulge in the pleasures of life
•Kianga's ability to maintain peak fitness has also been aided by the fact that he is an athletics coach
•He was among coaches preparing junior athletes for the World Under 20 Championships at Kiandege athletics camp
Unless you get it from the horse's mouth, you would never fathom that Peter Kianga is 72 years old.
The retired long-distance athlete is as strong as ever and emits the same passion he had for the sport when he first landed at Kisii High School for his secondary school education.
He may not have won any medals during his long, illustrious career on the track and on the road but Kianga proudly proclaims that choosing athletics was the best decision of his life.
Health is wealth — as we have been told countless times — and Kianga indeed is a billionaire when it comes to good health.
The man from the Kiandege area in Nyamira County attributes his 'wealthiness' to consistent investment in his body, which includes a balanced diet, regular exercise, and self-discipline.
"Many retired athletes slip into a sedentary lifestyle once they hang their spikes. This should not be the case rather you should continue running even after you are done with your career. At least, you should be jogging every morning. That is what I have been doing," Kianga says.
He bemoans the fact that many of his peers overindulge in the pleasures of life, which take a toll on their bodies and renders them unfit — a far cry from their active years in the game.
"Greens...that is the magic word. There is an obsession with fatty foods like meat, which do not help the body much. Also, alcohol, which a lot of us love is the fastest way to lose your fitness. For me, I eat a lot of vegetables and matoke," he says.
Kianga adds: "I have a younger brother who looks older than me. If we were to go to a function together, he would be the first one to be offered a seat while I stand because many believe he is the elder one."
Coach at heart
Kianga's ability to maintain peak fitness has also been aided by the fact that he is an athletics coach who has helped many athletes from the Kisii region find their footing in the industry.
Among his A-list of athletes who have passed through him is 2004 Olympics 5000m silver medalist Isabella Ochichi, retired road racer Gilbert Okari, 1994 Berlin Half Marathon third-place finisher Julius Ondieki and Mike Mokamba, among others.
He was also part of the coaching team for the 2000 World Cross Country Championships in Vilamoura, Spain.
Kianga considers himself a father figure who has had to deal with different personalities to forge them into established stars.
"As a coach, you must be friendly with the athletes regardless of how difficult some of them may be. You have to show them that you love them and trust in their potential. It is like a cow that gives a lot of milk but is a stubborn one and likes to kick around. Despite that, you have to help such athletes rise above these challenges and realise their potential," he explains.
During the recent, long April school holidays, he was among coaches preparing junior athletes for the World Under 20 Championships at Kiandege athletics camp in Nyamira.
Kianga believes he was born to be a coach, crediting his principal at Kisii High School for identifying his athletics talent and roping him into the school team.
"As a Form One, getting into the school team was not easy but I was the first one to do so. The principal was so impressed when I won the school's cross country title that had eluded us for close to 15 years. From then on, I spent a lot of time with the school coaches and learnt a lot from them on how to be a good tutor," he says.
Having coached for the entirety of his life, Kianga's secret to a successful athletics career is quite obvious — self-discipline.
"You have to be disciplined in everything you do to last for long in this career. This means listening to instructions and following them in addition to being honest with your coach. Personally, I have developed instincts that enable me to decipher when something is wrong with an athlete," he says.
Ready-made template
According to Kianga, five-time world cross country champion Paul Tergat is the perfect example of who a model athlete is.
He crossed paths with the National Olympic Committee-Kenya president severally in his running career and confesses that Tergat left quite an impression on him.
"If I were to give today's athletes an example to follow, it would be him (Tergat). He was quite the disciplined athlete...always attentive to instructions and hardworking. That is what is lacking in many of today's athletes regardless of the talent they possess," Kianga explains.
His athletics career may not be medal-laden but Kianga still holds fond memories of his time in the game.
The 1994 World Cross Country Championships in New York stands out in particular because it was a chance for redemption after missing out on the previous edition due to illness.
"I cried so much when I missed out in 1993. I was in the team and then a few days to departure, I contracted malaria and could not make it. It was so painful considering the preparations I had made. Therefore, I was so elated that I made the team in 1994," he explains.
Another standout moment was in 1995 when he posted the best time in a local event, upstaging some of the pre-race favourites.
"Many were wondering how I could come from the blues and win the race. It was particularly a sweet victory considering there were many runners from the disciplined forces," Kianga says.
Unfortunately, none of his offspring have taken after him despite his best efforts to introduce them to athletics.
"I tried encouraging them and even put them in training but they ran away after some time. I am, however, hopeful that one of my grandkids will inherit my running genes and even reach greater heights than I did," he proclaims.
Nonetheless, looking at the passion with which the young athletes follow his instructions, it is clear they do not see him as a mere coach but as their grandfather.
Hopefully, his healthy lifestyle will rub off on them so that these young ones can also grow old enough to pass on the knowledge acquired from Kianga to future generations.